State Police: No foul play suspected in death of female sheriff candidate

Mylessa Denny, a De Baca County sheriff’s deputy and sheriff's candidate, was found unresponsive outside of her squad car Tuesday evening in the parking lot of the De Baca County Sheriff's Office.

According to the sheriff's office, Denny was transported to the Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis, where she died around 7 p.m.

Denny won the Democratic nomination for De Baca County Sheriff in the primary election over Sheriff Dennis Cleaver. She was running for sheriff against a write-in opponent in the Nov. 4 general election.

If elected, Denny would have been the first female sheriff in New Mexico since the 1960s.

Denny had publicly stated that she's gay and has a partner of about five years.

“She helped a lot of people she really was in all essence a public servant. She’ll be missed. Not just by me but a lot of people. She touched a lot of lives while she was here," said Denny’s partner, Christi Scovel.

Christi rushed to the hospital yesterday afternoon as doctors desperately tried to save Mylessa's life, but there was nothing more they could do.

New Mexico State Police are leading this investigation and say they do not suspect foul play.

“I think she died from a cardiac event per say - but the doctor said ultimately not being able to revive her. They don't know the event at this point, said Christi.

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